Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-03-11
THE GOVERNORS sHoR1coM|NG.
He Cannot Repeat the Miracle Of the
Loaves and Fishes in the Dis
p~ensation Of Offices.
Details Of Important Measures Befor
the Legislature-A Sitting Com.
mittee Needed.
n,.r n,rDcEr rRoM B1sMARCK X.

The present legislature is al interest
ing body. 1t appears anxious to do right.
perhaps over anxious, and like IL party at
tempting to sit on two chairs falls TO the
floor between both.
The arrival of Governor Church and his
induction into office, together with the
strain upon the public nerve in regard to the
various nominations, called a halt i'll the
progress of legislation, for a few days, so
that little Roadway was made. The pub
lie can hardly understand the agon y of IL
city full OF ofice-seekers. the mercury 40
degrees below zero, u wild blizzard singing
their funeral dirges i'll a Nova Zembla ac-
cent, while the man who had their desti-
MES in his hands was buried in a snow
drift two hundred miles long. In this
dilemms Jim Hill came TO the rescue, and
his shovel brigade of thirteen hundred men,
with a line of iron.horse cavalry stormed
the snow tanks mud rescued the beleagured
Governor.
The Governor appears like a man of
good common sense. He does not put
on" STYLE, but in the most unaffected man.
ner ONE into the hotel where he boards
and walks about chatting with every one
in an easy and pleasant way. He has
rooms over the Capital National Bank,
where ho passes his time when not at the
Capitol.
The ceremony of swearing in a Demo-
cratic Governor is not attended with much
circumstance or pomp. In the case of
Mr.. Church it was Thoroughly Democratic.
Judge Trip administered the oath in the
presence Of the other judges. French
alone being absent.
The evening of the Governors arrival
was the one that witnessed the seyerest
tension TO the nerves of the two or three
hundred applicants. Had Governor Church
been in Il position to repeat the miracle of
the loaves and fishes, and apply it to the
Offices of Dakata, he might have ap-
loaves and fishes that were so eagerly
hunted, but the Governor, though u
Church-man, was unable to c%onjure, by
any species of diyination, from the few in
significant Offices enough to quiet the hun
ger of those who lad sought him in the
wilderness OF Bismarck.
When the names of Ward and Benton
were sent in for Auditor and Treasurer,
there was q look OF blank d.smay on hun
dreds of faces. Ward had been mentioned
rs q candidate for Treasurer; but Benton!
who had ever heard his name? No one.
The wiseacres, who wink and nod, look
wise, and whisper in tones that show they
are loaded with State secrets, wore u look
of blank surprise. The Governor had
knocked them out on the first round, and
they stood paralyzed.
1.-The nominations remained for three days
the chief topic of conversation, and they
were discussed with varying comment. It
is proper to rcmar5 that the lobby and the
candidates., coming as they do from all
parts of the Territory, composed of SO
many leading men, form q most important
factor in moulding Dakota opinion, and it
seemed agreed that if heretofore a serious
split existed i'll the Democratic party, the
Governor did not consider it serious enough
to recognize.
The confirmation of the nominees by the
Council must have proven gratifying to the
Governor. A certain rumor has gone forth
that a faction in the North, generally
styled the "old gang" tried to prevent Mr..
Benton's confirmation. There is no foun-
dation for the rumor. However distasteful
the elevation of Mr.. Benton may have been
to his enemies, they should be credited
with taking their medicine straight, and no
squirming.
In matters of legislation, the House has
been largely busted with the Elliott bill in
relation to giving the Railroad Commits
sioners increased powers. Unless this bill,
or one similar in spirit, is passed. the
Office of Railroad Commissioner is very
likely to be abolished. Able men in the
Council have served notice on the railway
advocates that if the powers CT the Com
m%issioners are not increased the Office will
be abolished.
The Council for several days We're re-
viewing a revenue bill, and only finished it
on the 21st, at which time it adjourned to
meet on Wednesday the 23d. The bill has
the Whole has been SO loaded down that It
is likely 10 be defeated. Evidently Con-
gress did a good thing for Dakota when it
prohibited special legislation. There is
now SO much difficulty in getting Jobs
through that it taxes the brain of tile most
astute lawyer to put up q slick Job and
carry it through. The law is a hard blow
TO county organizers and county seat To-
Gators.
There is still fighting over the seed wheat
appropriation, but having gone through the
House, the opinion prevails it will pass.
North and Central Dakota appear to de-
mand the appropriation, and extraordinary
as it is, at this writing it seems likely that
$150,OOO of Territorial money will be put
to buying seed grain for needed farmers.
The bill contenlplates the money to be-
paid back.
Sentiment has changed somewhat on the
matter OF q Territorial veterinary, with a
fat salary and unlimited one at his COM
mand. Il think" said q former member
yesterday, "thatthe bill is not altogether in
the interest Of the stockmen, but in that of
few who will have a good fat job" Much
the same fate is in store for the coal oil
inspector. Councilman Foster, of Spiuk.
is the father Of the coal oil bill, and an.
pears terribly in earnest. Its passage in
the Council was merely II compliment 10
t he doctor.
Commissioners have been this week in
specting the public institutions at James
town, and are expected to go at once to
Sioux Falls, Yankton and other points.
Another left on Saturday for Montana to
confer with a committee of that Territory
in regard to joint action in relation to the
stock interests, and taxing cattle that seem
to have heretofore escaped public burdens.
Grand Forks is here IN force TO lobby an
appropriation for the establishment of nm
Agricultural College at that point. North
Dakota claims that the interests of TINT
section demand such an institution. SINH.